Because playing too far away from the herd, the poor baby elephant was hunted mercilessly by a young lion.
The attack happened during the dry season in the Makalolo area of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, when many animals gathered at a large waterhole to quench their thirst. Among them is the poor baby elephant, because it is lost in the herd and becomes an easy target for predators.
When he saw the baby elephant alone and helpless, a young lion took the opportunity and attacked immediately, not giving the baby elephant a chance to call for help or run away.
Small, inexperienced in fighting, the baby elephant can only run away. Unfortunately, compared to the speed with which the baby elephant cannot escape the clutches of one of the top beasts of the big cat family.
Very quickly the young lion caught up and grabbed the baby elephant, sticking sharp claws into the baby's body while repeatedly biting deeply into the back of the prey.
The baby elephant struggled in pain because the lion was constantly biting it, but no one could come to save it, its herd had gone too far.
As for the young lion, according to photographer Brent Staplekemp, this is a very young lion and perhaps this is the first day that they can be an independent hunter, without the help of their mother.
Lions killing elephants is a fairly new concept in Hwange National Park but recently it has happened quite often due to the very high density of elephants around the waterhole at the peak of the season. dried. Often, the baby elephants who are busy playing will get lost in the herd and the lions just lie around, waiting for their young unprotected prey.
After making the prey painfully helpless, losing the will to resist, the young lion decided to end his first hunt perfectly by delivering a fatal blow, biting straight into the elephant's throat. child, ending the life of the prey.
